Darvin Adams has the TDs, DeAngelo Benton catching up at Auburn

It's time to take a look -- in both words and video -- at the guy who leads the SEC in touchdown catches.

Auburn's Darvin Adams has nine TD catches this season, best in the conference. We hear from Adams and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn about that in the video above, and here's a story about Adams and his backup, the highly-touted DeAngelo Benton, below. It's from Wednesday's Birmingham News. Also, columnist Kevin Scarbinsky wrote about Auburn stepping up recruiting, and proving it by receiving a commitment from five-star running back Michael Dyer. Check it out, and remember to come back and comment, if you wish.

The storyDeAngelo Benton started fall practice with all the hype. Three months later, Darvin Adams has all the touchdowns.

Darvin Adams: Coming through in 2009 (Todd Van Emst photo)The two Auburn wide receivers who formed a friendship when football practice started in August saw their seasons quickly go in different directions, but they happily crossed paths last Saturday.

Adams caught three touchdowns to take his SEC-leading total to nine. Benton, finally, caught his first pass of the season -- in fact, six of them, in a homecoming blowout of Furman.

Adams will certainly remain the primary receiver when the Tigers play at Georgia on Saturday night, but at least Benton has something to feel good about.

"I call him my little brother because he looks up to me," Adams said.

Which is fine, except Benton is older than Adams, and just about everybody else.' 'Yeah," Adams shrugged, "I call him my little big brother."

Benton, the surprise on signing day last February, arrived as a 21-year-old, two-time LSU signee full of promise.

But it's been Adams, a sophomore who hardly played last season, who has burst on the scene. He leads Auburn with 38 catches for 627 yards, and is in the Top 10 in the SEC in a variety of receiving categories.

His nine touchdown catches are the third-best total in school history.

Though he starts in front of him, Benton says he's been rooting for Adams the whole way.

"When I first got here I knew that we were going to be really close because he's not a selfish-like player," Benton said. "He knows that I'm behind him, so if I go in he'll tell me where I'm supposed to line up. He leads me in the right direction."

Said Adams: "I try to teach him the ropes even though I haven't been in the game that long."

DeAngelo Benton: Six catches last week (Mark Almond photo)All six of Benton's catches last week came after the Furman game was long decided. Benton isn't sure if they'll translate in more playing time down the stretch, especially against tougher competition in Georgia and Alabama. But he did receive congratulations from receivers coach Trooper Taylor.

"He gave me a lot of confidence just to continue through the rest of the season," Benton said. Benton had a couple of drops early in the season. He says he was rusty, perhaps understandable since he didn't play any football anywhere last season.

"It was kind of hard on this type of level," Benton said. "You have to be extremely ready on this level."

Younger but wiser, Adams has been ahead of the learning curve. He and fellow wide receiver Terrell Zachery have combined for 60 catches, good for more than 1,000 yards. They combined for five catches last year.

Adams has shown good hands, and he doesn't mind catching passes in the sometimes-congested middle.

"Anywhere the ball is, that's where I'm at," Adams said.

"He definitely has a great feel for doing that," said quarterback Chris Todd. "Being able to catch balls across the middle is something not everybody can do...to have a comfort zone out there.

"He's definitely made some big plays for us."

Adams has crossed the middle, caught balls in the end zone and turned short passes into big yards and touchdowns in the past two weeks, helping Auburn snap a three-game losing streak while improving to 7-3.

Adams has done more than that. He stuck with Benton during the dry stretch.